Bolt and nut fastening device

ABSTRACT

This bolt and nut fastening machine has a structure wherein comprising an outer barrel that includes a nut-engaging spanner to screw up automatically a nut by a suitable driving means and a washer-engaging member fitted at the top end of said barrel to catch and

United States Patent Toyoji Sada Niigata Prefecture, Japan 789,200

Jan. 6, 1969 Sept. 14, 1971 Riken Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha Niigata-keu,Japan;

Riken Kiki Knbushiki Kaisha Tokyo, Japan Feb. 8, 1968, Feb. 14, 1968,Feb. 15, 1968, Feb. 14, 1968, Feb. 19, 1968 Japan 43/8027, 43/ 10624,43/ 11149, 43/79629 and 43/81376 lnventor Appl. No. Filed PatentedAssignees Priority BOLT AND NUT FASTENING DEVICE 4Claims, 12 DrawingFig.

U.S.Cl .1 8l/57.11, 81/57.39, 8l/57.46 Int. Cl. B25b 17/ B25b 21/00Field ofSearch 81/54, 55,

Referencs Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bangerter et a1. Burnett et a1.

Evenson Stevenson Owen et a1. La Torre Sauter Primary Examiner-James L.Jones, Jr. Attorney-Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn ABSTRACT: This boltand nut fastening machine has a structure wherein comprising an outerbarrel that includes a nutengaging spanner to screw up automatically anut by a suitable driving means and a washer-engaging member fitted atthe top end of said barrel to catch and hold a polygonal washer of nutand to be constructed rotative only in one direction PATENTEU SEPI 41911SHEET 1 OF 6 FIG.1

7'0 YOJ/ 6404 4 Tram/5Y PATENTEI] SEP14I971 3504292 sum 2 or 6 PATENTEDSEN 41911 SHEET 3 0F 6 M l m/rwe 70 you/ 6AM fiTTOE/VEYSPATENTEUSEPMISTI 3.604.292

snmunre BOLT AND NUT FASTENING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to a bolt and nut fastening machine, and moreparticularly to a machine used, in the civil engineering as well as thebuilding constructing filed, for fastening a nut having polygonal washerto a bolt made of steel material high in tensile strength for buildingup steel frame construction DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The cylindricalspanner attached to the rotating spindle at the head and automaticallyoperated to screw up nut by a hydraulic or other drive means has beenwell known and in an extensive use in the industry. But, this type ofthe machine is known to have an inherent drawbacks that as the screwingup of the nut proceeds the resistance gradually increases ultimately upto the level the counteracting force from such resistance makes itunable for the operator to hold on the cylindrical holder beforeadequately firm binding of the joint is obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide animproved fastening machine capable to free the operator from thecounteracting force transmitted to him from the increasing resistance asthe screwing up of the nut proceeds, by overcoming the aforesaiddrawbacks inherent in the conventional fastening machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening machine inwhich a polygonal cylindrical spanner to engage with the polygonalwasher of the nut is installed at the head of the cylindrical holder ina manner rotatable only in one direction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machinein which the polygonal cylindrical spanner installed at the head of thecylindrical holder is provided to make one way rotary movement,clockwise or counterclockwise, by operation of a selective mechanism.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machinein which a meter indicating the degree of rotary movement is installedat the back end of the rotary spindle having a nut screwing cylindricalspanner at the head.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastening machinein which the rotary spindle having a nut screwing cylindrical spanner atthe head is provided to rotate at a higher speed on reversing than onscrewing up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of anembodiment of this invention taken along a longitudinal centerline.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVIV of FIG. I.

F IG. 5 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of thisinvention taken along a centerline.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VIIVIIof FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view illustrating the relationship between aroll and a pusher bar.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of still another embodiment of thisinvention.

FIG. 10 is a slant view of a basket-shaped structure in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a layout of main cylinders, andacceleration cylinder and a hydraulic pump together with pipingscompleting the oil line in an embodiment shown in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The attached drawings show threedifferent types of boltand-nut fastening machine embodying thisinvention. But, in all these drawings, the identical parts of eachembodiment are designated with the same numerals.

In FIGS. ll, 5 and 9, the nut to be bound by a fastening machine of thisinvention is represented by A, a polygonal washer of the nut by B, thebolt to which said nut is screwed by C, and the structural materials tobe bound by said bolt C and nut B are represented by D and E.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1 represents a nut-engaging spanner or socketmember having polygonal holes 2 and 3 at each end, the hole 2 fitting tothe polygonal nut A and the other hole 3 to be attached to the polygonalhead 5 of the rotating spindle 4. The peripheral wall of said spanner 1has hole 6 and slot 7 provided in said polygonal head 5 is inserted witha ball 9 together with a spring 3, and when said spanner 1 is fitted onthe polygonal head 5, said ball 9 proceeds by the force of the spring 8into the hole 6 and thereby said spanner l is interlocked with thepolygonal head 5.

Because of the aforesaid mechanism in the head portion of said rotaryspindle 4, said rotary spindle can be inserted and releasably fittedinto said spanner, and at a proper position backward from the head it isfixed with a pinion 10 which on the rear side is affixed to an end of atorsion spring 11, and the rotary spindle 4 is disposed inside of anouter barrel 14 by means of two bearings, 12 and 13.

As described above, said outer barrel 14 including a rotary spindle 4within the inside of its has its foremost end portion shaped as apolygonal head 15, said polygonal head having a hole 16 perforated onone side and fitted therein with a spring 17 and a ball 18. The rear endof said outer barrel is connected to a casing 19 by a screw 20 and aholding handle 21 is also screwed to the outer side of said casing 19,the rear end of said rotary spindle 4 is received by bearings on theinner bottom of said casing, and on the inner lateral side of saidcasing is secured the other end of said torsion spring 11, andfurthermore said holding handle 21 is equipped with a actuating switch22 of a hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawings).

Two hydraulic cylinders 23 and 23' are installed symmetrically invertical and horizontal direction transverse to the axial line of saidouter barrel 14. The cylinders 23 and 23' include racks 25 and 25 fixedto pistons, 24 and 24', fitted in cylinders 23 and 23, such racks 25 and25 being engaged with pinion 10 the cylinders 23 and 23 are respectivelyconnected with oil pipes 26 and 26', which oil pipes are connected atthe other end with a cylindrical holder 27 installed firmly in theoutside of the outer barrel, and this cylindrical holder 27 is connectedwith the end of the oil pipe 28 coming from the hydraulic pump not shownin the drawing. An outer tube holder or washer-engaging member 29 hastwo polygonal holes 30 and 31 at both ends, the polygonal hole 30 holdwasher B and the other polygonal hole 31 receives said polygonal head 15of the outer barrel 14, and a hole 32 is formed in the peripheral walladjacent the polygonal hole 31 so that when tube 29 is fitted to thepolygonal head 15, said ball 18 fitted into a hole 16 proceeds by theforce of the spring 17 into the hole 32, and thereby said outer tubeholder 29 is engaged with the polygonal head 15. (See FIG. 4).

To start fastening the bolt-and-nut with this machine, and fit thepolygonal hole 2 of the nut-engaging spanner I to a nut A, polygonalhole 3 is attached to the polygonal head 5 of the rotary spindle 4 andpolygonal washer B is held within polygonal hole 30 of the outer tubespanner 29 whose polygonal hole 31 is fitted to the polygonal head 15 ofthe outer barrel 14. Switch 22 is then pushed to start the hydraulicpump (not shown in the drawing) supplying thus the pressurized oilthrough oil pipes 28, 26 and 26' into the cylinders 23 and 23'. By meansof the oil pressure, two racks 25 and 25 provided and fixed to thepistons 24 and 24' respectively as shown in FIG. 2, move, namely one tothe right and the other to the left, thereby turning the pinion 10engaged with these racks, 25 and 25, in the clockwise direction to turnthe rotary spindle 4 fixed to said pinion l and bind the bolt and nut byscrewing up nut A.

Upon proceeding of fastening, as the nut A gets screwed up more andmore, the outer barrel 14 held by the operator encounters an increasingcounteracting force due to binding. However, because the polygonal hole30 of the washer-engaging member 29 is tightly holding the washer B andsaid washer B is getting pressed more and more to the structuralmaterial D to be bound, the friction between the washer B and thestructural material D finally is increased so large an extent that thewasher becomes adhered and nonrotative to the structural material D.This eventually results in the washer-engaging member 29 as well as theouter barrel 14 being held relative to the structural material andthereby the counteracting force is not transmitted to the operator.

When screwing up of the nut A is completed, the operator puts off theswitch 22 and withdraws both the spanner l and the outer tube holder 29from the nut A and washer B, and then by the elastic force of the spring11 fixed at one end to the rotary spindle 4 and at the other end to thecasing 19, the rotary spindle is rotated in the direction reverse tothat at the time of screwing up and by the rotation of the pinion l0fixed to said spindle shaft, the racks 25 and 25, together with pistons24 and 24', revert to the former position in the hydraulic cylinders 23and 23', and the oil in said cylinders 23 and 23', returns to the oiltank of the hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawing) through the oilpipes 24 and 24'. Since an inner tube spanner l and an outer tube holder29 are releasably fitted with the polygonal head of the rotary spindle 4and polygonal head of outer barrel by polygonal holes 3 and 31respectively and are coupled by means of the balls 9 and 18, pushed withthe springs, 8 and 17, in the holes, 6 and 32 provided in the peripheralwalls, they can be replaced to meet varying size of nut A and washer B.

With reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, wherein another embodiment ofthis invention is illustrated, the machine is essentially the same asthe foregoing embodiment, excepting, however, for the provision of anindicator showing the number of revolutions and a mechanism to cope withphase difference of the washer. This indicator is provided at the backof the casing 19 having a scaled disk 33 and an indicating means 35covered with a transparent plate 34. (see FIG. 6)

The mechanism of the outer tube holder to cope with phase difference hasa free wheel mechanism and serves to check rotation towards a directionto which the counteracting force works.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, there is interposed, between anouter barrel and an outer tube holder of the FIG. 1 embodiment, anintermediary tube 36 with a form just like a separated head of the outerbarrel l4 and flat spaces 37 are provided in several portions on theouter periphery of said outer barrel 14 adjacent the bearings 12, and aspring holder 38 wherein there is positioned a pusher bar 40 with aspring 39 isfixed thereon in a manner that said pusher bar exerts apressure to a roll 41. Then all these components are encased in the rearportion of said intermediary tube 36 while another portion ispolygonally shaped and is fitted into the outer tube holder 29 in asimilar way as in the FIG. I embodiment.

In this instance, said spring holder 38 is effective in the samedirection as the counteracting force transmitted from the washer B ontothe outer tube holder 29. When screwing up a nut, the phase differencebetween nut A and washer B often happens and in such a case thisfastening machine can be used with much convenience and with goodresult.

When the outer tube holder 29 fails to engage a polygonal washer evenafter the spanner 1 has caught the nut A, then the intermediary tube 36and the outer tube holder 29 are revolved in the counterclockwisedirection while having the spanner 1 partially fitted to nut A, as seenin FIG. 7, whereupon the roll 41 contacting the inner wall of said tube36 revolves and by overcoming the force of the spring 39 pushes thepusher bar 40 into the spring holder 38, and the intermediary tube 36thereby revolves freely in the aforesaid direction until the polygonalhole 30 of the outer tube holder 29 comes to conform to the polygonalwasher C. Thereupon, the machine is pressed further toward the washer soas to let the polygonal hole 30 of said outer tube holder 29 hold thewasher C well enough and screwing up of the nut is effected by theoperation similar to that as described in the FIG. 1 embodiment. Becausethe scaled disk 33 is provided at the rear end of the rotary spindle 4,the operator can continue the fastening operation by consulting thescale and the indicator and by presetting the indicator at a properscale on the disk he can always give a uniform bolt and nut bindingadequate and desirable in each work.

Referring to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, wherein another embodiment is shown,this type is essentially the same in structure as the FIG. 5 embodiment,but its free wheel mechanism is designed so as to make rotationselectively only in a desired direction by the controlling means fromoutside, and the return action of the nut-engaging spanner is effectedby a hydraulic power instead of a torsion spring.

l-Iereunder, some explanation will be made about the different points ofthis type from those of the FIG. 2 embodiment.

Firstly the free wheel mechanism is built-up as in the followingstructure:

The periphery of the bearings 12 of the outer barrel [4 is madeoctagonal in shape and its outside is fitted with the basketlike tube 46formed as explained below.

This basketlike tube 46 has eight crosspieces 42 fixed to flange 43 atone end and between each crosspiece 42 is fitted an elastic element 45including side plates serving as springs 44 and the flange 43 has twoprotrusions 48 and 48' in symmetrical position across the centerline,said protrusions being defined by cutaways on both sides as seen in FIG.10. This basketlike tube 46 is placed to fit the polygonal part of theouter barrel 14 in a manner the centerline in the longitudinal directionof each crosspiece comes to the angular top of the polygonal surface ofthe outer barrel l4 and the flange 43 is disposed to come to theposition between the end of the intermediary tube 36 and the side 14' ofthe outer barrel l4, and in the space between the adjacent springs 44 ofthe elastic element 45, eight rolls 47 are interposed to mount on theflat space 37 of the outer barrel 14, the supporting bars 49 and 49' areprovided in the outer barrel 14 at the position confronting saidprotrusions 48 and 48', the pusher bars 51 and 51' are inserted into thereceive tubes 50 and 50', fixed to the same to have them pushed by thespring 52.

Thus, the pusher bars 51 and 51, are set to a position to push the headsof said protrusions 48 and 48', and the relative position of the angularpart of said basketlike tube 46 against the angular part of said outerbarrel is also set up just the same as described above, and then allthese components are to be encased by said intermediary tube 36 in asimilar way as the FIG. 5 embodiment.

Now, with reference to FIG. 12, a description is made as under for thehydraulic mechanism to get a quick recovery of the nut-engaging spannerafter an operation. A forward working oil route a and a backward workingoil route b are connected with a oil pipe 28' and 28" respectively, andthe other end of said oil route a is connected with No. 1 exit of thehydraulic pump 53. Besides the aforesaid cylinders, 23 and 23', isprovided therein another cylinder designated as an acceleration cylinder54 which includes a piston 55 fitted with a piston rod 56 larger incapacity, and an oil chamber 58 is defined between said piston rod 56and the inside wall of said cylinder 54, said chamber 58 being smallerin capacity than an oil chamber 57 being defined between the bottom walland said piston rod 56 on the opposite side of piston 55. Said backwardworking oil route b is connected with the acceleration cylinder 54 sothat it communicates with the larger oil chamber 57, and the smaller oilchamber 58 is connected with No. 2 exit of the hydraulic pump 53, andthe interspace between the cylinder 54 and the piston rod 56 is sealedby the ring 59.

Regarding operation of said free wheel mechanism in the FIG. 9embodiment, in case there is a phase difference between polygonal nut Aand polygonal washer B just like the case of the FIG. 5 embodiment inthe preceding description, then the outer tube holder should be rotatedselectively in either clockwise direction or counterclockwise directionso as to catch and hold the washer B, and then said free wheel mechanismnever permit any rotation toward the counterdirection.

As seen in FIG. 11, when the flange 43 is turned in the clockwisedirection to engage the cutaway after the protrusions 48 and 48' withthe pusher bars 51 and 51, the crosspieces 42 fixed to this flange 43move all at once in the clockwise direction to a position on the nearestflat adjacent corner of the polygonal part of the outer barrel 14. Undersuch condition, the intermediary tube 36 incorporated with thecylindrical washer-engaging member 29 and revolvable in a body canfreely turn in the counterclockwise direction, but it cannot turn in theclockwise direction because of the friction among the peripheral surfaceof the outer barrel 14, roll 47, and the inner wall of the intermediarytube 36.

This fastening machine, when used for unscrewing the nut, it is apparentthat the flange 43 should be turned in the counterclockwise direction sothat the opposite cutaways engage with the pusher bars 51 and 51 becausesaid cylindrical washer-engaging member 29 can freely turn in theclockwise direction but must not turn in the counterclockwise direction.Next, further explanation will be made on the function of the hydraulicmechanism for quick recovery of the spanner referring to FIG. 12. Whenthe switch 22 is put on, the oil is fed from the No. 1 exit of thehydraulic pump 53 into the cylinders 23 and 23 through the forwardworking oil route a and the oil discharged from the opposite sides ofthe pistons 24 and 24 of the cylinders, 23 and 23', passes through thebackward working oil route b and the acceleration cylinder 54 andreturns to the oil tank of the hydraulic pump 53 through the oil routec, and meanwhile the inner tube spanner is screwing up the nut A asdescribed above.

After screwing up a nut is finished, the switch 22 is turned on,releasing the spanner 1 from nut A, and then the conventional switchvalve (not shown in the drawing) provided in the hydraulic pump 53 worksto free the supply side of the forward working oil route a and convertit in turn to a backward working oil route at the same time the backwardworking oil route b is converted to an oil feeding route and the oil issupplied from the exit No. 2 of the hydraulic pump 53 into the smalleroil chamber 58 of the acceleration cylinder 54 through the oil route 0.

However, the quantity of oil being discharged from the larger oilchamber 57 of the acceleration cylinder is larger enough by the capacityratio of the larger oil chamber 57 to the smaller oil chamber 58 towhich oil being fed from No. 2 exit of the hydraulic pump. Therefore,this larger quantity of oil forwarded through the backward working oilroute b into the cylinders, 23 and 23, results in a more rapid returnmovement of the pistons than forward operating movement, and iteventually gives quick rotation to the pinion for the quick recovery tobe ready for next operation, and after the recover is made then theswitch is put off for no further movement of the pistons.

I claim:

1. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, inwhich a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt betweenthe nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means;

driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotatingsame;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket meanshaving a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threadingthe nut along a bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging anoncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding saidwasher relative to said housing means whereby to at least partiallycounteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to saidnut being threaded onto said bolt;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging memberconcentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationshipto said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recesstherein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted tobe disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer andsaid washer-engaging member; and

one-way release means interconnecting said washer-engaging member tosaid housing means for permitting rotation of said washer-engagingmember relative to said housing means in one rotational direction forpermitting said washer-engaging member to be selectively rotatablydisplaced into proper alignment with said washer for permittingengagement therewith, said one-way release means preventing rotation ofsaid washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in theopposite direction.

2. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, inwhich a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt betweenthe nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; driving meansdrivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket meanshaving a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threadingthe nut along a bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging anoncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding saidwasher relative to said housing means whereby to at least partiallycounteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to saidnut being threaded onto said bolt;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging memberconcentric with and disposed substantially in surrounding relationshipto said socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recesstherein of noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted tobe disposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer andsaid washer-engaging member;

connecting means drivingly engaged between said washerengaging means andsaid housing means for normally preventing relative rotationtherebetween; and

release means coacting with said connecting means for disengaging saidconnecting means to permit said washerengaging means to be selectivelyrotated in one direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise, relativeto said housing means for enabling said washer-engaging means to beproperly aligned with said washer.

3. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, inwhich a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt betweenthe nut and the bolt head, comprising:

housing means;

a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means;

driving means drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotatingsame;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket meanshaving a socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threadingthe nut along a bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging anoncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding saidwasher relative to said housing means whereby to at least partiallycounteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to saidnut being threaded onto said bolt;

said washer-engaging means including a tubular washer-engaging memberconcentric with an disposed substantially in surrounding relationship tosaid socket means, said washer-engaging member having a recess thereinof noncircular cross section whereby said washer is adapted to bedisposed in said recess for nonrotatably connecting said washer and saidwasher-engaging member; and

indicator means mounted on said housing means adjacent the rearward endthereof, said indicator means being interconnected to said spindle forindicating and recording the number of revolutions of said spindle. 4. Afastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which awasher is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and bolthead, comprising:

housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means, saidspindle having a gear nonrotatably supported thereon;

driving means including fluid actuated means drivingly connected to saidspindle for causing rotation thereof in a one direction for permitting anut to be rotatably screwed onto a bolt;

socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket meanshaving a socket formed therein for engagement with said nut forthreading the nut along said bolt;

washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging awasher disposed on said bolt and for nonrotatably holding said washerrelative to said housing means whereby to at least partially counteractthe reaction force imposed on said housing means due to said nut beingthreaded onto said bolt;

said fluid actuated means including fluid pressure cylinder means havinga pair of reciprocal pistons each having a slideable gear racks fixedlysecured thereto and means mounting said pistons and gear racks formovement in opposite directions, said gear racks being disposed inmeshing engagement with said gear at substantially diametricallyopposite sides thereof; and

restoring means connected to said spindle for causing rotation thereofin the opposite direction after said fluid actuated means has beendeenergized and said socket means has been disengaged from said nut,said restoring means comprising torsion spring means connected betweensaid spindle and said housing means.

1. A fastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, inwhich a noncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt betweenthe nut and the bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindlerotatably supported on said housing means; driving means drivinglyinterconnected to said spindle for rotating same; socket means connectedto and driven by said spindle, said socket means having a socket formedtherein for engagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt;washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging anoncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding saidwasher relative to said housing means whereby to at least partiallycounteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to saidnut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engaging means includinga tubular washer-engaging member concentric with and disposedsubstantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, saidwasherengaging member having a recess therein of noncircular crosssection whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess fornonrotatably connecting said washer and said washerengaging member; andone-way release means interconnecting said washer-engaging member tosaid housing means for permitting rotation of said washer-engagingmember relative to said housing means in one rotational direction forpermitting said washer-engaging member to be selectively rotatablydisplaced into proper alignment with said washer for permittingengagement therewith, said oneway release means preventing rotation ofsaid washer-engaging member relative to said housing means in theopposite direction.
 2. A fastening device for threadably connecting anut and a bolt, in which a noncircular washer is disposed on the shankof the bolt between the nut and the bolt head, comprising: housingmeans; a spindle rotatably supported on said housing means; drivingmeans drivingly interconnected to said spindle for rotating same; socketmeans connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket means havinga socket formed therein for engagement with a nut for threading the nutalong a bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means forengaging a noncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatablyholding said washer relative to said housing means whereby to at leastpartially counteract the reaction force imposed on said housing meansdue to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engagingmeans including a tubular washer-engaging member concentric with anddisposed substantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means,said washer-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular crosssection whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess fornonrotatably connEcting said washer and said washer-engaging member;connecting means drivingly engaged between said washer-engaging meansand said housing means for normally preventing relative rotationtherebetween; and release means coacting with said connecting means fordisengaging said connecting means to permit said washer-engaging meansto be selectively rotated in one direction, either clockwise orcounterclockwise, relative to said housing means for enabling saidwasher-engaging means to be properly aligned with said washer.
 3. Afastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which anoncircular washer is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nutand the bolt head, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatablysupported on said housing means; driving means drivingly interconnectedto said spindle for rotating same; socket means connected to and drivenby said spindle, said socket means having a socket formed therein forengagement with a nut for threading the nut along a bolt;washer-engaging means mounted on said housing means for engaging anoncircular washer disposed on said bolt and for rotatably holding saidwasher relative to said housing means whereby to at least partiallycounteract the reaction force imposed on said housing means due to saidnut being threaded onto said bolt; said washer-engaging means includinga tubular washer-engaging member concentric with an disposedsubstantially in surrounding relationship to said socket means, saidwasher-engaging member having a recess therein of noncircular crosssection whereby said washer is adapted to be disposed in said recess fornonrotatably connecting said washer and said washer-engaging member; andindicator means mounted on said housing means adjacent the rearward endthereof, said indicator means being interconnected to said spindle forindicating and recording the number of revolutions of said spindle.
 4. Afastening device for threadably connecting a nut and a bolt, in which awasher is disposed on the shank of the bolt between the nut and bolthead, comprising: housing means; a spindle rotatably supported on saidhousing means, said spindle having a gear nonrotatably supportedthereon; driving means including fluid actuated means drivinglyconnected to said spindle for causing rotation thereof in a onedirection for permitting a nut to be rotatably screwed onto a bolt;socket means connected to and driven by said spindle, said socket meanshaving a socket formed therein for engagement with said nut forthreading the nut along said bolt; washer-engaging means mounted on saidhousing means for engaging a washer disposed on said bolt and fornonrotatably holding said washer relative to said housing means wherebyto at least partially counteract the reaction force imposed on saidhousing means due to said nut being threaded onto said bolt; said fluidactuated means including fluid pressure cylinder means having a pair ofreciprocal pistons each having a slideable gear racks fixedly securedthereto and means mounting said pistons and gear racks for movement inopposite directions, said gear racks being disposed in meshingengagement with said gear at substantially diametrically opposite sidesthereof; and restoring means connected to said spindle for causingrotation thereof in the opposite direction after said fluid actuatedmeans has been deenergized and said socket means has been disengagedfrom said nut, said restoring means comprising torsion spring meansconnected between said spindle and said housing means.